Once upon a time, the novel functioned as news source. Uncle Tom's Cabin is a great example of this; though no literal Uncle Tom existed, the plight of his character, of the slaves whom he represented, informed and motivated many in the American North to protest against the institution of slavery.

In the same way, I think another character, a nobly motivated and highly relatable reporter who seeks out war and catastrophes around the globe, could bring us immediate and compelling news around the world by anchoring a television drama. Already shows like Law and Order and Boston Legal pull headlines and current events into their plots; why not expand that scope overseas and make the protagonist a conflicted news worker rather than the police or a law firm?

Of course, I realize with the writer's strike going it's presumptious to suggest a brand new TV show, and I DO fully support the striking writers; but *after* the strike is over, do you think this idea would fly? Would people enjoy the show? Would they watch it? How much would such a thing really impact how we perceive the rest of the world?

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